1.  increase(n = noun.quantity) addition, gain - a quantity that is added; "there was an addition to property taxes this year"; "they recorded the cattle's gain in weight over a period of weeks"
Derived form verb increase₁, verb increase₂

2.  increase(n = noun.event) - a change resulting in an increase; "the increase is scheduled for next month"
Antonym: decrease
Derived form verb increase₁, verb increase₂

3.  increase(n = noun.process) growth, increment - a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important; "the growth of population"; "the increase in unemployment"
Antonym: decrease
Derived form verb increase₁, verb increase₂

4.  increase(n = noun.attribute) increment - the amount by which something increases; "they proposed an increase of 15 percent in the fare"
Antonym: decrease
Derived form verb increase₁, verb increase₂

5.  increase(n = noun.act) step-up - the act of increasing something; "he gave me an increase in salary"
Antonym: decrease
Derived form verb increase₁, verb increase₂

1.  increase(v = verb.change) - become bigger or greater in amount; "The amount of work increased"
Antonym: decrease
Derived form noun increase₁, noun increase₂, noun increase₃, noun increase₄, noun increase₅
Sample sentences: Their earnings %s this year

2.  increase(v = verb.change) - make bigger or more; "The boss finally increased her salary"; "The university increased the number of students it admitted"
Antonym: decrease
Derived form noun increase₁, noun increase₂, noun increase₃, noun increase₄, noun increase₅
Sample sentences: They %s their earnings this year

1.  To become greater or more in size, quantity, number, degree, value, intensity, power, authority, reputation, wealth; to grow; to augment; to advance; -- opposed to decrease. [1913 Webster]

2.  To multiply by the production of young; to be fertile, fruitful, or prolific. [1913 Webster]

3.  To become more nearly full; to show more of the surface; to wax; as, the moon increases. [1913 Webster]

   To augment or make greater in bulk, quantity, extent, value, or amount, etc.; to add to; to extend; to lengthen; to enhance; to aggravate; as, to increase one's possessions, influence. [1913 Webster]

1.  Addition or enlargement in size, extent, quantity, number, intensity, value, substance, etc.; augmentation; growth. [1913 Webster]

2.  That which is added to the original stock by augmentation or growth; produce; profit; interest. [1913 Webster]

3.  Progeny; issue; offspring. [1913 Webster]

4.  Generation. Shak. [1913 Webster]

5.  The period of increasing light, or luminous phase; the waxing; -- said of the moon. [1913 Webster]

increase, v. & n.
--v.
1 tr. & intr. make or become greater in size, amount, etc., or more numerous.
2 intr. advance (in quality, attainment, etc.).
3 tr. intensify (a quality).
--n.
1 the act or process of becoming greater or more numerous; growth, enlargement.
2 (of people, animals, or plants) growth in numbers; multiplication.
3 the amount or extent of an increase.

Idiom:
on the increase increasing, esp. in frequency.

Derivative:
increasable adj. increaser n. increasingly adv.

Etymology:
ME f. OF encreiss- stem of encreistre f. L increscere (as IN-(2), crescere grow)

N  improvement, amelioration, melioration, betterment, mend, amendment, emendation, mending, advancement, advance, ascent, promotion, preferment, elevation, increase, cultivation, civilization, culture, march of intellect, menticulture, race-culture, eugenics, reform, reformation, revision, radical reform, second thoughts, correction, limoe labor, refinement, elaboration, purification, oxidation, repair, recovery, revise, new edition, reformer, radical, improving, progressive, improved, better, better off, better for, all the better for, better advised, reformatory, emendatory, reparatory, remedial, corrigible, improvable, accultural, on consideration, on reconsideration, on second thoughts, on better advice, ad melius inquirendum, urbent latericiam invenit marmoream reliquit.

VB  improve, be better, become better, get better, mend, amend, advance, ascend, increase, fructify, ripen, mature, pick up, come about, rally, take a favorable turn, turn over a new leaf, turn the corner, raise one's head, sow one's wild oats, recover, be better, be improved by, turn to right account, turn to good account, turn to best account, profit by, reap the benefit of, make good use of, make capital out of, place to good account, render better, improve, mend, amend, better, ameliorate, meliorate, correct, decrassify, improve upon, refine upon, rectify, enrich, mellow, elaborate, fatten, promote, cultivate, advance, forward, enhance, bring forward, bring on, foster, invigorate, touch up, rub up, brush up, furbish up, bolster up, vamp up, brighten up, warm up, polish, cook, make the most of, set off to advantage, prune, repair, put in order, review, revise, make corrections, make improvements, doctor, purify, relieve, refresh, infuse new blood into, recruit, reform, remodel, reorganize, new model, view in a new light, think better of, appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober, palliate, mitigate, lessen an evil.

N  increase, augmentation, enlargement, extension, dilatation, increment, accretion, accession, development, growth, aggrandizement, aggravation, rise, ascent, exaggeration exacerbation, spread, flood tide, gain, produce, product, profit, increased, on the increase, undiminished, additional, crescendo, vires acquirit eundo.

VB  increase, augment, add to, enlarge, dilate, grow, wax, get ahead, gain strength, advance, run up, shoot up, rise, ascend, sprout, aggrandize, raise, exalt, deepen, heighten, strengthen, intensify, enhance, magnify, redouble, aggravate, exaggerate, exasperate, exacerbate, add fuel to the flame, oleum addere camino, superadd, spread.

N  addition, annexation, adjection, junction, superposition, superaddition, superjunction, superfetation, accession, reinforcement, increase, increment, supplement, accompaniment, interposition, insertion, added, additional, supplemental, supplementary, suppletory, subjunctive, adjectitious, adscititious, ascititious, additive, extra, accessory, au reste, in addition, more, plus, extra, and, also, likewise, too, furthermore, further, item, and also, and eke, else, besides, to boot, et cetera, and so on, and so forth, into the bargain, cum multis aliis, over and above, moreover, with, withal, including, inclusive, as well as, not to mention, let alone, together with, along with, coupled with, in conjunction with, conjointly, jointly, adde parvum parvo magnus acervus erit.

VB  become larger &c (large), expand, widen, enlarge, extend, grow, increase, incrassate, swell, gather, fill out, deploy, take open order, dilate, stretch, distend, spread, mantle, wax, grow up, spring up, bud, bourgeon, shoot, sprout, germinate, put forth, vegetate, pullulate, open, burst forth, gain flesh, gather flesh, outgrow, spread like wildfire, overrun, be larger than, surpass, render larger &c (large), expand, spread, extend, aggrandize, distend, develop, amplify, spread out, widen, magnify, rarefy, inflate, puff, blow up, stuff, pad, cram, exaggerate, fatten.